I Need a Hero

By the time Jessica came back an hour later, I was about a third of the way done with the book. She was right, it was a good story. I looked up at the sudden noise of the door opening. Nick’s hands were on her shoulders, leading her over to her bed. My eyes grew wide. Jessica was a sickly pale, eyes bloodshot. Her hair was matted and her makeup smeared. The thing that worried me the most was she was soaking and shivering, her arms wrapped around her body.

“My God,” I gasped, sliding my bookmark into the book and tossing it onto the end table in one motion. I quickly stood and crossed the room as Nick laid Jessica in bed and covered her with the comforter. “What happened?”

“Therapy.” In that one word was so much hatred it was hard to describe. I was actually taken back by it. My millimeter step was almost unnoticed, but it was there. Nick let out a soft sigh, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry Brenda. This is a story for Jessica to tell when she’s feeling better. I would really appreciate if you change her out to warmed clothes.”

“I d-don’t n-n-need help,” Jessica hissed, stuttering over her frozen tongue. Yet she made no move to change, just holding herself under the comforter.

“Of course.”

“Thanks Brenda. Uhm, I’ll be by in an hour to let you into the TV room.” I gave Nick a confused stare. “I know, it’s probably too early for you to be going into the TV room. But no doctors are ever in until about eleven. If Mr. Knight told you anything different he’s a liar.”

I nodded. It explained why he wore jeans and a Slayer shirt instead of his normal guard wardrobe. “So what time it is?”

“About nine. I’ll be back soon.” He went to walked out of the door, but stopped. Turning on his heel, he dug into the backpack over his shoulder. He tossed some gauze, tape, and a bottle of what I assumed was peroxide onto my bed. “I thought you’d need it.”

I looked down at my forearm to see it a darker red then when I noticed this morning. “Thanks Nick.”

He nodded before leaving the room. I walked back over to Jessica’s bed and gave her a frown. I opened her trunk and began to look through it for new, warm clothes. “I don’t need h-help.”

I looked up to see Jessica glaring at me. It was then I realized something about Jessica. She was the kind of girl who hated to show weakness. She thought she had to be the rock for everyone. Anyone seeing her with her defenses down was just the worst thing she could think of. I smiled sadly, pulling out new clothes for her. “I know you probably don’t want it Jessica, but just let me do this. I promise to tell no one.”

Jessica stared at me with her piercing glare for a few more moments before sighing and letting her face fall. “Fine. But don’t ever say I owe you anything.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” I helped her completely out of her outer clothes and let her at least change her underclothes. Once she tapped my shoulder to let me know it was safe I helped her into a long sleeve black shirt, blue jeans, socks, black Uggs, and a leather jacket. She climbed back under the comforter and I tossed my own on top of that. “All good?”

“Thanks Brenda,” Jessica muttered. Not because she was angry, but because she was almost asleep.

“No problem.” With that her breathing evened out. I sat back on my bed, back resting on the headboard again. I placed the book into my lap and opened it, planning on reading it. Once I read the same line five times I realized I couldn’t think enough to read. I sighed, closing it again. Running a hand through my hair I began to think what’s happened in the past day.

I got booted to a mental home, I’ve met the people I’ll hate for the rest of my life, people I’ll never forget how happy they’ve made me, met my worst nightmare, and already falling for someone. I quickly shook the last thought from my mind. There was no fuckin’ way I was ‘in love’ with Johnny. I had talked to him maybe twice. There was no way it was possible. I was just weak both times I saw him, I felt protected is all.

“Brenda?” I looked up quickly too see Nick in the doorway. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah.” I placed down my book before walking to Nick. I followed him out the door and into the elevator. We went down to the first floor, heading down the hall opposite of where Mr. Knight had led me down when I first arrived. He unlocked a door, ducking to narrowly avoid an ashtray being thrown.

“That’s it! Rodger, you’re out.”

“Zacky fucking started it!” the jock looking guy ‘Rodger’ shouted. It was like I was back in high school. Zacky sat on a couch with his arms crossed over his chest, a smirk on his face as he watched the black and white television.

“He didn’t throw that damn ashtray. Plus you’ve been picking fights with everyone. You’re going to end up back in his room again,” Nick remarked, pointing at Zack. Rodger rolled his eyes, walking past Nick to get out. We made eye contact and he smirked, making a shiver run down my spine.

“Do this is the new girl, huh?” Rodger asked, but it seemed more like a statement. I just stared wide eyed at him. Nick shoved Rodger forward by the back of his head, smiling sympathetically at me.

“I’ll come get you later.” With that I walked in, the door slamming behind me. Zacky finally took his gaze off the movie to smile at me.

“Don’t worry, you get use to Rodger. He’s all muscle and no brain.”

“I figured.” I plopped down next to Zacky, studying the TV. It looked like an old zombie movie. It was appropriate for the nearing Halloween. I felt a little down at the thought at not being able to get my usual crack, also known as candy. “Think anyone will be by for a while?”

“No, why?” I leaned forward and tapped the pack of Marlboros reds sitting on the table. He smiled widely at me. “Good! I was hoping you weren't a goody two shoes.”

“Please. I had a reputation of holding my liquor the longest and smoking the most. No drugs though, just smokes.” He nodded in approval, pulling out a cigarette for us each.

“Good. Drugs aren’t worth it. Jimmy and me have been there and done that. Stupidest shit ever.” He dug out a box of matches hidden in the sofa cushions, striking one to light mine. I raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“You have the greatest cigarettes known to man and you’re lighting it with a match?” Zacky chuckled, lighting another match so he could lit his own.

“You sound exactly like Brian,” Zacky remarked. He gave me a hopeful stare. I took the matches and shoved them into my pocket. “Sorry if the people here don’t trust me with any fire. I had to get Nick to smuggle in these.” He wagged them as he spoke before shoving them into the cushions again.

“So, small question.”

“Shoot.”

“If everyone’s so worried about someone hurting you to get pleasure, why don’t you just hurt yourself?” I asked curiously. “I swear to whatever you believe in that I’m just wondering, no mocking.”

“I didn’t think you would. By the way it’s nothing.” He took a drag, tapping off the ashes from his smoke into another ashtray. “It’s just not the same for self infliction and someone else doing it.”

“Ooh.”

“Would you be willing to hit me?”

“No!” I shrieked. He laughed at my horrified face.

“Don’t worry. I’d never ask you to.” I let out a sigh of relief. It was quiet besides just Zack and I releasing our smoke and the sounds of the TV. Once I finished, first might I add, I put it out in the ashtray. Zack caught my arm, investigating it. “You didn’t take care of this like Nick said you would.”

“I’ll fix it when I get back,” I assured him.

“No you won’t.” He stood to his feet, walking to the opposite side of the room. He stood on a chair, pushing up a ceiling tile. He brought down a black device, holding it up to his mouth. I recognized it immediately as a walkie-talkie.

“Nick, it’s Dr. Baker. Please answer.” I raised my eyebrow at his ‘deep and creepy’ voice change. Did they seriously have a walkie-talkie hidden in here for Zack to play doctor?

“What do you need?”

“Bring the gauze and such from Ms. Summers’s room. I need to confiscate it.”

“On it sir.” With that Zacky muted the device again, putting in the tile. He put the chair back and walked back over to the couch.

“What the hell was that?” I asked.

“Nick hid it for us in case me or anyone else in our group needed anything. Pain killers, bandages, smokes, etcetera. Matt said he would be our best friend if we were out of this place.” Suddenly the door opened to reveal Nick. He handed everything to Zack, giving me a scowl.

“I gave it to you to clean up earlier,” Nick fake growled, poking my nose.

“Sorr-y. I forgot.”

“Well fix her up Zack then I have to get you back. Your therapy soon.” Zack nodded and sat down next to me, turning me sideways to face him. He took off the tape and bloody gaze to reveal my cut. It was nastier then I remembered. The cut was bloody still, but it was healed enough to not overflow. I looked away, not wanting to see what they had done to me.

“This will probably hurt.” I nodded, closing my eyes tightly. I felt the familiar, light stinging of the cut as peroxide slid down my cut. I felt him wrap the gauze around me before securing it with the tape. I looked over to see Zack screwing the cap back on the bottle.

“Thanks Zacky.”

“No problem.” He gave me a quick hug before he knocked on the door for it to be opened by Nick. Zack walked out, my supplies in hand. Nick smiled, waved, and walked out after him. As the door slid shut I relaxed in my spot.

“I wonder if they have Night Of The Living Dead,” I mulled, picking up the remote.